Theresa serves as Vice President of Programs and Operations for Nexus Community Partners, a community building intermediary in the Twin Cities. Working closely with the President, Board and staff, Theresa is responsible for building strong relationships with Nexus partners, setting strategy for the organization and ensuring the necessary funds are in place to achieve Nexus’ mission of “building more engaged and powerful communities of color.” She also oversees program activities, internal operations and supervision of program staff.

Prior to joining Nexus in 2008, Theresa worked with domestic and international nonprofits, coalitions and government entities, helping to strengthen their capacity to implement systems change. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations from American University in Washington, DC and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from the University of Connecticut.

Su-Fei is the VP for Organizational Performance and Information Systems at VOA, MN and WI. She has been with the organization since February 2019 and has gladly taken on different roles in her time with VOA. After spending the majority of her career in corporate strategy planning and execution roles, including Boston Consulting Group and Target Corp, she lucked into a role that would combine her desire to contribute to, learn, and grow with a mission-driven non-profit organization while also utilizing her developed skills set. She believes deeply in giving back to the communities that nurture her and has taken on Board leadership positions with Coalition of Asian American Leaders, in her faith community, and for Sheltering Arms Foundation. As an immigrant, she feels called to bring voice and a different perspective to the table. Su-Fei holds a MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and an AB in International Relations from Stanford University.

May yer (“mine-za”) Thao is the President and CEO of the Hmong American Partnership (HAP) and its subsidiary, the Hmong National Development, Inc. Her career spans many years of investment in community and bridge building across multiple sectors. For over a decade, she has elevated the visibility of the Hmong, Southeast Asian, and immigrant/refugee communities in the Midwest.

May yer is recognized as a dynamic visionary and performance-driven servant leader with high integrity, a strong work ethic, a commitment to community first, and an exemplary leader that transcends boundaries. Her work to support Asian immigrant and refugee families has resulted in many awards, including the 2019 Governor's Community and Economic Development Leadership Award by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, 2020 Inaugural Wisconsin's Most Influential Asian Americans by Madison365, and, most recently, the 2021 Woman of Influence - Public Policy by the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Xavier Vazquez has a bachelor’s degree in biology with a focus on pre-medicine. He studied mechanical engineering for four years at the University of Puerto Rico. Still, he decided to pursue another career and moved to Minnesota on June 17 of 2017, after he obtained his biology degree at the Universidad del Turabo of Puerto Rico. He is always willing to try new things and is up for adventures and new challenges. He enjoys playing baseball/softball, running, biking, camping, fishing, drawing, spending time with his family, and everything else that piques his adventurous spirit. He is passionate about breaking the intergenerational cycle of disadvantages to create an organizational culture where every employee has a voice, feels genuinely welcomed, appreciated, and free to be themselves, and is empowered and enabled to do their best work. He is part of the MENTOR MN board and is completing his MS in Management and Leadership.

Brian is the president of the Initiative Foundation, which empowers residents to build prosperous rural communities and economies in Central Minnesota. He joined the Foundation in 2021 as vice president for inclusive entrepreneurship and was named president in 2023. Prior to joining the Foundation, Brian founded and served as executive director for Engage Winona, a social-change nonprofit focused on creating equitable access, voice and power for community in southeast Minnesota. Brian also served as executive editor of the Winona Daily News from 2011 to 2017. In a previous life he was a traveling musician and writer. He is a lifelong Minnesotan who currently lives in the St. Cloud area and enjoys spending time with family, outdoor adventures, and dreaming up community ideas.

Karen Koeder is the Associate Director of CREST, a nonprofit which provides volunteer services for seniors to assist in their living at home as long as possible.

Karen’s responsibilities include board development, strategic planning, financial oversight, grant oversight, personnel, and community development. Prior to coming to CREST, Karen worked as RSVP Coordinator for Martin County. Karen has held a number of executive leadership positions with Camp Fire (formerly Camp Fire Girls), a national youth development organization in California and Alaska.

Denae Alamano has been the Executive Director of the United Way of Bemidji Area for 7 years. Since starting in 2016, Denae has helped United Way triple its budget and realize drastic growth with its reach and effectiveness. Born and raised in Northern Minnesota, Denae’s passion for the Bemidji area, her competitive nature, and her strong belief that ‘when we all do better, we all do better’, motivates her to increase fundraising goals each year, develop necessary and relevant initiatives, and grow sustainable programs for our rural area. Denae cares greatly about educating the greater Bemidji area about our community’s significant needs, which has led to many successful and needed community initiatives. Prior to her work at United Way, Denae was the American Cancer Society’s Senior Community Manager for Northern Minesota for 4 years. This came after a 6 year career as a collegiate women’s basketball coach. Denae is married to her husband, Orlando Alamano. They have three children, Sam (11), Joey (9) and Libby (5). The Alamanos are also licensed foster parents and volunteer in various youth sport and church activities.

Sam Amundson is the Controller at MAHUBE-OTWA which is located in greater Northwest Minnesota primarily covering the five counties of Mahnomen, Hubbard, Becker, Ottertail, and Wadena. As the Controller she uses a generative approach to lead a fiscal team and oversees financials, budgets, reporting, audits, and policies and procedures. She is part of a leadership team that works toward moving the needle on poverty and assisting community members to achieve their highest level of self-sufficiency.

She has her Master’s of Accountancy from North Dakota State University. Has completed the CALI Leadership Cohort and holds her CCAP, Certified Community Action Professional. She also serves on other MN nonprofit boards and assists them fiscally.

Karina A. Forrest‐Perkins is a national speaker and consultant on systems improvement and primary care integration within the mental health and substance use disorder fields. Forrest-Perkins currently serves as the President and Executive Officer for Vail Place, a mental health recovery organization in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Ms. Forrest Perkins was honored to be selected as a 2017 Bush Fellow and has won multiple awards in business, ethics, innovation, and nonprofit governance. Ms. Forrest-Perkins has served as a champion for whole person care in the treatment, education, prevention, and healthcare fields.

Forrest-Perkins has served as a staff member or task force appointee in three Oklahoma Governors’ administrations and as an appointee to the Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Medical Cannabis Research. In addition to her current position at Vail Place, she has served as Chief Executive Officer for NAMI Oklahoma, Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota, Wayside Recovery Center, and People’s Center Clinics and Services. Forrest-Perkins has served as a subject matter expert and consultant for the Heartland National Tuberculosis Center, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Opioid Response Network, the SAMHSA Center for Excellence on Opioid Abuse for Pregnant and Postpartum Women, and for SAMHSA’s Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies. Forrest-Perkins is a tribal member of the Cherokee Nation and has authored and co-authored congressional briefs advocating for improved access to care for individuals living with mental health and co-occurring challenges, particularly those in historically marginalized communities.

Ms. Forrest-Perkins lives in Saint Louis Park with her husband. Their four children live in Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington DC.

Gene Gelgelu is the Founder and President and CEO of African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS). Originally from Ethiopia, Gene has deep connections to Minnesota’s African immigrant communities and a unique cultural competency to work with people from a variety of backgrounds and languages. He has a bachelor’s degree from Metropolitan State University and an MBA in Finance, and a Doctoral Candidate in Education Leadership from the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Gene also served as a planning and human rights commissioner for the city of St. Paul. Gene is a Shannon Institute leadership fellow, The Roy Wilkins Community fellow, and the Bush foundation leadership fellow.

Amy Gray is the community philanthropy manager for the Initiative Foundation, helping support generosity, community and economic development across Central Minnesota. Amy joined the MCN board to provide perspective on the needs and opportunities of rural Minnesota communities while working to elevate Minnesota nonprofits as a whole.

A third-generation Brainerd resident, Amy has a passion for rural and Greater Minnesota and has been in nonprofit and community development leadership for nearly 15 years. A natural strategist and connector, Amy is energized by taking a 360-degree view on issues to find creative, inclusive and equitable solutions.

Amy has a master’s degree in advocacy and political leadership from the University of Minnesota – Duluth and is a graduate of the Art of Hosting group facilitation training.

Feather LaRoche is the Founder and Executive Director of Relentless Feather - an organization aimed at revolutionizing Native American communities through the power of coding. The vision is for all Indigenous people to strengthen greater autonomy within the global digital sphere while preserving ancient values and social customs in every step we take. Relentless Feather’s goal is to equip Native youth on the reservation with necessary resources so that they can succeed both in their traditional ways of life as well as establish digital literacy on their reservations or within their own tribal regions.

Feather holds a B.S. in Graphic Design from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and a Masters of Tribal Administration and Governance from the University of Minnesota - Duluth. Feather also works as the Native American Outreach & Communications Associate for the UMN School of Public Health and The Center for Public Health Systems. His work reaches Indian Country by creating program awareness and support services for the Public Health Administration & Policy MPH in addition to developing communications, presentations, and strategies to better serve Minnesota public health agencies, in particular tribal health agencies.

Feather LaRoche is an enrolled tribal member of the Kul Wicasa Oyate, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe located in South Dakota.

Dr. Carla Manzoni, PhD, MA, is an equity-centered strategist and community-based researcher and educator. A Latina immigrant who calls Minnesota home, Carla’s goal is to create the infrastructure to expand success, influence, and power for all communities. Carla has recently founded her consulting business Vibrant Majorities where she focuses on systems change through inclusive community engagement, a natural step in her three decade long career working with diverse cultures in contact. From 2021-2024 Carla built LatinoLEAD’s programming from the ground up, in her role of Director of Leadership Development. In her 13 years in Higher Education Carla impacted the lives of over 800 students, led high-impact projects, published 5 peer reviewed articles, presented at numerous conferences both academic and non-academic.

Carla is an active leader in her community. She currently serves as a Board Member of HACER, advises the Center for Inclusive Excellence at the Carlson School of Management, and the Latino Scholarship Fund (Latino Economic Development Center), and helped develop the Center for Economic Inclusion’s Indicators for an Inclusive Regional Economy.

Carla loves being in community. She enjoys celebrations, food, mate, exploring art with her family and friends, traveling, and dancing to very loud music.

Theresa “Tee” McClenty is the Executive Director of MN350 and MN350 Action, a statewide climate change and climate justice organization whose mission is to unite Minnesotans as part of a global movement to end the pollution damaging our climate, speed the transition to clean energy, and create a just and healthy future for all.

Tee joined MN350 in 2022 in a continuation of her career. She has worked more than 18 years in emergency medicine, seeing first-hand the impact of climate change on people’s health. She attended college to obtain a nursing degree and sign language interpreter. She received a mini-MBA at St. Thomas University and have certifications in project management and organizational development from University of Minnesota. She worked as an Executive Vice President with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa and Executive Director with Minnesota School Employees Association She was the Outreach and Health Initiatives Manager at NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center, Inc. in which she worked closely with Minnesota Council of Nonprofits.

For her fun time, she serves as a volunteer as an Outreach and Inclusion officer with CD2 & SD52 and serves on the Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship Board.

Sara Niemi has been the Executive Director at PAVSA (Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault) in Duluth, MN for the last five years. Working at a crisis agency has made me very interested in sharing my views, continuing to learn and work with others on issues related to employee wellness, burnout and staff retention in the nonprofit sector. I am a wife and mother to three beautiful daughters and enjoy living in Northern Minnesota. You can usually find me hiking throughout the North Shore with my family, doing yoga or drinking way too much coffee. I have a Masters in Counseling and Psychological services, and graduate certificate in Addiction Studies. I have served in senior leadership positions within nonprofit agencies for over ten years. I am passionate about giving back to the community and advocating for all to be treated with dignity and respect.

Pablo is the Director for Community Growth (Equity & Inclusion) for the City of Willmar. a micropolitan city located 100 miles west of the Twin Cities. He is leading citywide coordination of programs, education, and outreach in the areas of equity and inclusion. He brings with him extended experience addressing diversity, equity and inclusion work and great knowledge about rural Minnesota. Most recently Pablo was the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Director for the Minnesota Council on Foundations and Community Engagement Officer for Southwest Initiative Foundation. He received his Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in 1995 and spent several years in ministry. Pablo’s networking and leadership with many state-wide BIPOC organizations including TRUE Tuesday Partnership is an example of his passion and commitment to DEI work.

With a passion for empowerment, Sara Salas Ramirez is committed to connecting individuals with the right resources to help them achieve their goals. Sara firmly believes that addressing significant challenges begins by tackling smaller obstacles one step at a time, a philosophy she applies to her work and life. Sara brings a wealth of experience to her role, having been actively involved in the nonprofit sector since 2014. Her career is marked by a tireless commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others, advocating for accessible resources, and championing the idea that change is best achieved through the collective efforts of a caring community.

Sara's journey in the nonprofit sector began in 2014, and her impactful work has left a lasting imprint on the communities she's served. Prior to her role as Executive Director at the Parenting Resource Center, Sara served as a dedicated case manager at a mental health agency and as the Social Services Director of another non-profit organization. Sara has been equipped with an understanding of the diverse needs of individuals and families, enabling her to connect them with the appropriate support they require. Sara holds a degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from St. Cloud State University. Currently, Sara is on a path of continuous learning, pursuing a Masters in Social Work with a focus on Anti-Oppressive Clinical Practice from Augsburg University.

Beth Schoeppler is the Managing Director of The Loft Literary Center, one of the nation's leading literary arts centers. The Loft advances the artistic development of writers, fosters a thriving literary community, and inspires a passion for literature. Beth has been on the Loft staff since 2008 but has had a long history with the organization taking her first Loft class in 1983. Her nonprofit career has included general management, communications, development, program planning, marketing, and evaluation for education, arts, and human service organizations of all sizes. As Loft managing director, Beth oversees finance, operations, IT, human resources, evaluation and institutional giving with most of the hands on work expertly executed by a team of talented colleagues.

Lori Schwartz is the Executive Director for Lakes & Prairies Community Action, serving primarily Clay and Wilkin Counties in Minnesota.

Lori’s experience at Lakes & Prairies includes positions as a Head Start Teacher, Head Start Special Services, Director of the Migrant Head Start Program, and Director of Operations. She holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Strategic Leadership from the University of Mary, Bismarck. She is a National Certified ROMA trainer and Pathways to Excellence Reviewer. In 2016 she became a CCAP, Certified Community Action Professional. 

Sara Sommarstrom serves as the Vetlaw Director for the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, working with attorneys and non-lawyers across the state of Minnesota to remove and reduce legal barriers to stability for veterans experiencing homelessness and other life crises. Ms. Sommarstrom is a 2005 graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School, where she received the Excellence in Public Service Award, given to one member of the graduating class annually. After graduation, she served two years as an Equal Justice Works/AmeriCorps Fellow with the Minnesota Justice Foundation (MJF) before joining the staff of MJF full-time as a staff attorney and ultimately program director. Sara was a member of the American Bar Association (ABA) Veterans Legal Services Initiative, and co-chair of the ABA Coordinating Committee on Veterans Benefits and Services. She is currently a liaison to the ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, and an active member of several state and local bar association committees. In addition, she is a member of the Board of Directors for the Veterans Defense Project and has served on its Executive Committee for the past four years. Ms. Sommarstrom was honored to receive recognition as a 2014 Unsung Hero from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans for her work on addressing legal barriers to housing and employment stability for homeless veterans.

Mary Warner is the Legal Technologist for the Minnesota State, Hennepin County, and Ramsey County Bar Associations. In this role, she assists members access various online services and troubleshoot technical issues. Formerly, she served as executive director of the Morrison County Historical Society.